The Australian community places significant importance on the right to access government information and the duty of governments to promote and enable this right, according to a national survey.
The 2025 Cross-jurisdictional Information Access Study showed that in 2025, 96% of Australians (up 5 percentage points from 2023), regardless of age, gender, or location feel their right to access government information is important (58% very important; 38% quite important).
The Information Access Study measures the Australian public’s awareness of their right to access government information and their experiences and outcomes when exercising that right. Commissioners from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), and the ACT Ombudsman sponsored the research for a fourth time, having conducted the inaugural study in 2019.
The release of the study coincides with events to mark International Access to Information Day 2025.
It also comes in the week that the new Australian Freedom of Information Commissioner, Alice Linacre, takes up her appointment.
“The right to access information is a fundamental pillar of accountable, open and responsible government – these essential elements of democracy are demonstrably important to the community,” Australian Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd said.
“The national survey figures show the community is highly engaged in this right, and that it is much more than a ‘nice to have’. It also shows how, in this digital age, we must ensure that access to government information is not only upheld but continually improved and secured.
“An overwhelming 97% of national respondents view having an independent regulator report on an agency’s performance in meeting the community’s right to access information as important.”
A significant majority of Australians (86%) also agree that the government must publicly report on any technology used to inform decision making (including AI and automated decision making), with 56% strongly agreeing.
Pleasingly, 68% of respondents found the Australian Federal Government agencies helpful or quite helpful in providing advice and assistance in response to information requests.
However, FOI Commissioner Linacre noted that less than half (44%) are confident that the Freedom of Information Act will allow them access to information about how decisions are made by the federal government and agencies.
Demographic trends
“The survey also highlights the continuing efforts we must make to educate the community about their rights and how to better use the system, particularly in the younger demographic,” FOI Commissioner Linacre said.
“The right to access information is less familiar for people in the 18-34 age group. However, this group is more likely to access information across topics such as the environment (35% compared to the average of 22%).”
The UNESCO theme for this year’s IAID is ‘Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age’. It focuses on advancing access to environmental information as a pillar of transparency, accountability, and sustainable development.
“There are other gaps in knowledge, with many in the community unaware of their rights to access information from specific government agencies, and this needs to be addressed,” Commissioner Linacre said.
Commissioner Tydd said the OAIC would use the survey findings to target guidance and education materials.
“The survey reinforces commitments under the Open Government National Action Plans to better measure and understand the value citizens place on the right to access government information, and their experiences and outcomes when exercising that right,” Commissioner Tydd said.
View the Information Access - Community study report (PDF, 1272 KB).
